Like Father, Like Son

It’s no surprise that Hirokazu Kore-eda’s film has received so many awards and nominations. It won the jury prize at Cannes as well as many other accolades in film festivals around the world. Like Father, Like Son is a beautifully directed drama that doesn’t fail to deliver. It’s an emotionally charged story of mistaken identities. What will you do if you discover that your son is not really yours, and got switched at birth? A painful and aching question that needs to be answered by the well-to-do Ryota played by the Japanese film star Fukuyama Masaharu, a man who is completely immersed in his work and lifestyle who gets the shock of life when he finds out his real son is living with a middle class family and got switched at the hospital he was born at. This forces Ryota to analyze the way he thinks about his life, his family and his values.

At first we might think that Like Father, Like Son is about a predictable “switched at birth” incident, however there is much more to the story. As the plot develops, we come to understand that the father is a key element in the unfolding of the drama. Confronted by the norms of society, the parents must decide what is truly important to them and what the best is for their children that are caught in the power struggle of both families.

Kore-eda delivers a touching story of contradictory feelings at the hands of amazing child actors. It makes us question what is more important to us, our families or our accomplishments and achievements. Like Father, Like Son is a tender, moving tale that should be watched and enjoyed.